Tentigo
{{short description|Sinhala-language black comedy film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Tentigo
| image = Tentigo poster.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Promotional poster
| native_name = {{Infobox name module|si|නෙළුම් කුළුණ}}
| director = Ilango Ram
| writer = Ilango Ram
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on =
| producer = Hiranya Perera
| starring = {{plainlist|
- Kaushalya Fernando
- Priyantha Sirikumara
- Thusitha Laknath
- Ranjith Panagoda }}
| narrator =
| cinematography = Ilango Ram
| editing = Aathan Sivananthar
| music = Leon Bob James
| studio = Silent Frames Productions
Crawling Angel Films
Stone Bench Films
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2023|11|15|Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival|2025|03|14|
Sri Lanka |ref1={{Cite web|url=https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2024/03/24/montage/19550/sinhala-cinema-goes-global-tentigo-set-for-indian-remake/|title=Sinhala cinema goes global: 'Tentigo' set for Indian remake|work=Sunday Observer|date=24 March 2024|first=Anuradha|last=Kodagoda|access-date=20 January 2025|archive-date=13 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713145300/https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2024/03/24/montage/19550/sinhala-cinema-goes-global-tentigo-set-for-indian-remake/|url-status=live}}}}
| runtime = 105 minutes
| country = Sri Lanka
India
| language = Sinhala
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Tentigo (Sinhala Nelum Kuluna{{Efn|This translates to Lotus Tower and is a euphemism for an erect penis.}}) ({{Langx|si|නෙළුම් කුළුණ}}) is a 2023 Sri Lankan Sinhalese black comedy film{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=With 'Nelum Kuluna', Ilango takes Lankan cinema to a new height |url=https://www.sundaytimes.lk/250309/magazine/with-nelum-kuluna-ilango-takes-lankan-cinema-to-a-new-height-591189.html |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=sundaytimes.lk}} directed by Ilango Ram and produced by Hiranya Perera for Silent Frames Productions.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=මාර්තු 14 වෙනිදා සිට එන 'නෙළුම් කුළුණ (Tentigo)' |url=https://mirrorarts.lk/ar/news/10678-14-tentigo|access-date=2025-03-18 |website=mirrorarts.lk}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=හිරණ්‍යා පෙරේරා : නෙළුම් කුළුණ නිෂ්පාදකවරිය ඇයයි |url=https://vow.lk/news/entertainment/6111/|access-date=2025-03-18 |website=vow.lk}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=රුක්මල් නිරෝෂ්ගේ 'අවාලූ පැහැ වලාකුලක්' සහ ඉලංගෝ රාම් ගේ 'නෙළුම් කුළුණ'|url=https://thetime.lk/?p=11278 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=thetime.lk}} The film stars Kaushalya Fernando, Priyantha Sirikumara, Thusitha Laknath and Ranjith Panagoda. It is the first Sri Lankan film to be remade into other languages including: Spanish, Italian, English, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam whereas France and Belgium in the future.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=නෙලුම් කුලුන Tentigo 14 දා සිට රිදී තිරයට |url=https://sarasaviya.lk/නෙලුම්-කුලුන-tentigo-14-දා-සිට-රිදී/|access-date=2025-03-18 |website=Sarasaviya}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=නෙලුම් කුලුන මාධ්ය දර්ශනය දා|url=https://sarasaviya.lk/නෙලුම්-කුලුන-මාධ්ය-දර්ශ/|access-date=2025-03-18 |website=Sarasaviya}} The film was remade in Tamil by Ilango Ram as Perusu (2025).{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jan/13/vaibhav-and-sunils-next-titled-perusu|title=Vaibhav and Sunil's next titled Perusu|website=Cinema Express|access-date=19 January 2025|date=13 January 2025|archive-date=14 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114071655/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jan/13/vaibhav-and-sunils-next-titled-perusu|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=ලාංකිකයෙකු අධ්යක්ෂණය කරන ඉන්දියානු චිත්‍රපටයක් – ඉලංගෝ රාම්ගේ නෙළුම් කුළුණ (Tentigo) කොලිවුඩය ට ප්‍රතිනිර්මාණය වෙයි |url=https://sinhala.ceylonnewsfactory.lk/2025/01/14/ලාංකිකයෙකු-අධ්යක්ෂණය-කර/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=ceylonnewsfactory.lk}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Nelum Kuluna : The Sinhala Film making history with Global Remakes|url=https://www.newswire.lk/2025/03/19/nelum-kuluna-the-sinhala-film-making-history-with-global-remakes/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=newswire.lk}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Sri Lankan film 'Tentigo' becomes first to be remade in multiple languages |url=https://www.themorning.lk/articles/mGMMxWRvWsfA0VEuPvwo |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=themorning.lk}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Sri Lankan Dark Comedy 'Tentigo' To Get An Indian Remake Backed By THIS Producer; Details Inside|url=https://www.news18.com/movies/sri-lankan-dark-comedy-tentigo-to-get-an-indian-remake-backed-by-this-producer-details-inside-8738112.html |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=news18.lk}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Tamil Remake Of Sinhala Comedy Tentigo About Dead Man's Boner Will Be 'Game Changer', Says Producer Sanjay Gulati - EXCL |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/tamil/tamil-remake-of-sinhala-comedy-tentigo-about-dead-mans-boner-will-be-game-changer-says-producer-sanjay-gulati-excl-article-107910800 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=timesnownews.lk}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Ilango Ram's twin directorials Tentigo, Perusu go global |url=https://www.dtnext.in/entertainment/cinema/ilango-rams-twin-directorials-tentigo-perusu-go-global-825582 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=dtnext.lk}}
After gaining positive reviews from critics in multiple film festivals,{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Tentigo (නෙළුම් කුළුණ) - කවදා හරි මැරෙන්න ඕන එහෙම! |url=https://theleader.lk/news/literature-arts/30751-tentigo |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=theleader.lk}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Tentigo by Ilango Ram |url=https://www.disapprovingswede.com/tentigo-by-ilango-ram/|access-date=2025-03-18 |website=disapprovingswede.lk}} the film won the special jury award at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in 2023 and was screened at the Glasgow Film Festival and Mostra in 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/asia/erect-penis-comedy-film-sri-lanka-tentigo-indian-remake-1235832323/|title=Tallinn-Winning Erect Penis Comedy 'Tentigo' Set for Indian Remake – SGIFF|work=Variety|first=Naman|last=Ramachandran|date=December 10, 2023|access-date=January 19, 2025|archive-date=October 6, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006160809/https://variety.com/2023/film/asia/erect-penis-comedy-film-sri-lanka-tentigo-indian-remake-1235832323/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://filmcarnage.com/2024/03/30/review-tentigo/|title=Review: Tentigo|work=Film Carnage|last=Rebecca|date=March 30, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://exame.com/pop/mostra-internacional-de-cinema-de-sp-10-filmes-imperdiveis-para-ver-nesta-quarta-feira-23/|title=Mostra Internacional de Cinema de SP: 10 filmes imperdíveis para ver nesta quarta-feira, 23|language=es|work=Exame|first1=Luiza|last1=Vilela|author2=IA Bot}} It got selected at the 2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival 2025 under the International Competition: Fiction section.{{Cite web|url=https://powercorridors.in/imphal-film-festival-unveils-diverse-lineup-with-57-films-showcasing-manipuri-classics/|title=Imphal Film Festival Unveils Diverse Lineup with 57 Films, Showcasing Manipuri Classics|author=Navin Upadhyay|website=powercorridors.in}}
Plot
After their father dies, and a funeral is arranged, his penis remains mysteriously erect. His two sons try to discreetly hide it for the funeral while his secret love life gets revealed. {{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Tentigo: An erection in Sri Lankan cinema |url=https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2025/03/10/youth-observer/46709/tentigo-an-erection-in-sri-lankan-cinema/|access-date=2025-03-18 |website=sundayobserver.lk}}
Cast
Most of the characters in the film are not named.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/tentigo-2023-film-review-by-jennie-kermode|title=Tentigo (2023) Movie Review from Eye for Film|website=www.eyeforfilm.co.uk|access-date=2025-01-19|archive-date=2024-09-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915112150/https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/tentigo-2023-film-review-by-jennie-kermode|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=ඉලංගෝ රාම්ගේ උස සිහිනය 'නෙළුම් කුළුණ' |url=https://mirrorarts.lk/ar/news/10371-2025-01-04-02-17-56|access-date=2025-03-18 |website=mirrorarts.lk}}
{{Cast listing|
- Ranjith Panagoda as Wilbert Jayabahu, the father
- Kaushalya Fernando as the mother
- Priyantha Sirikumara as the elder son{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=ගැහැනියත් පිරිමියත් සමාජයේ ආකල්ප එක්ක ගැටෙනවා – ප්‍රියන්ත සිරිකුමාර |url=https://slleader.lk/entertainment/11998-2025-03-17-03-52-34|access-date=2025-03-18 |website=slleader.lk}}
- Thusitha Laknath as the younger son
- Chandani Seneviratne as Kamala, the neighbor
- Dilhani Ekanayake as mistress
- Chamila Peiris as mother's younger sister
- Sulochana Weerasinghe as younger son's wife
- Aloka Gayathrie as elder son's wife
- Asela de Silva as doctor
- Saman Koralage as trishaw driver
- Madura Prabhaswara as flowershop manager
- Raja Ganesan as father's friend
- Sarath Moronthuduwa as father's friend
- Sanjeewa Upendra as devil dancer
- Asoka Wendabona as Grama niladhari
- Kanchana Nandani as nurse
- Suleiman Dias as Head Monk
- Pradeep Senaratne as Young Monk
- Aloka Sampath as embalmer
- Ranjula Fernando as embalmer
- Prasanna Kassumpitiya as younger brother's friend
- Ruwan Madanayake as elder brother's friend
- Manjula Ranasinghe as elder brother's friend
- Ravi Bodahandi as Barman
}}
=Child artists=
- Metika Naveen Senaratne
- Kusheya Anagi
- Sehanya Jayasinghe
Production
This the maiden feature film direction by Ilango 'Ram' Ramanathan,{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Tentigo දිවයින පුරා සිනමා හල් වලදී – රට වැටුණත් කුළුණ කෙලින් |url=https://cinema.lk/tentigo-දිවයින-පුරා-සිනමා-හල්-වල/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=cinema.lk}} who excelled in the Sri Lankan advertising industry as well as an award-winning short film maker who made the short films: Nihanḍa Kanduḷu, Ginigath Piyāpath and Doḍana Kelī.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=මට ඕනෑවුණේ සරල කතාවක් |url=https://divaina.lk/මට-ඕනෑවුණේ-සරල-කතාවක්/|access-date=2025-03-18 |website=divaina.lk}} He also wrote the screenplay and did the cinematography. The film is produced by Hiranya Perera with co-production by Sanjay Gulati, Neeraj Pandey, Karthikeyan Santhanam, Navaneetha Nachimuthu and Pon Umapathy Kailas. Aathan Sivananthar is the editor and Manjula Perera is the production manager.
Muditha Withana and Aruna Sanjaya are the assistant cinematographers, where the assistant director are Niroshan Edirimanne and Prasanna Niroshan. Sound design and editing done by Nanda Nandi Jayakody, sound mixing by Tapas Nayak and color mixing by Dinindu Jagoda. Leon James is the music director, where Rangana Sinharage handled music and sound supervision. Charumathi Muralitharan made background vocals. Ajantha Alahakoon made production planning and Rajitha Dikhinna made styling and hairstyling. Composition assistants are Navodya Sathsara and Suhan Perera, and production management assistant is Upamali Nuwarapaksha. Ajantha Alahakoon and Niroshan Suranjith made costumes with the assistance of Anusha Ayanthi Seneviratne. Still Photography is handled by Sanjeevan Sangilakumar.
Reception
Eoghan Lyng of D Movies wrote, "Ilango Ram’s family drama is actually one of the most original comedies in some time" and added that "[t]here is a little bit too much going on, for too long, but when the characters finally reach their point of destination, it feels well earned".{{Cite web|url=https://dmovies.org/2023/11/17/tentigo/|title=Tentigo|work=DMovies|date=November 17, 2023|access-date=January 19, 2025|archive-date=July 24, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240724185916/https://dmovies.org/2023/11/17/tentigo/|url-status=live}} Jennie Kermode of the UK-based Eye For Film rated the film 3/5 stars and wrote, "Despite juggling an increasingly large number of characters, most of whom are never named, the film keeps its balance well". Panos Kotzathanasis of Asian Movie Pulse wrote, "As a whole, however, and for most of its duration, it makes sense, while it will be interesting to see where Ram moves following this movie".{{Cite web|url=https://asianmoviepulse.com/2023/12/film-review-tentigo-2023-by-illango-ram/|title=Film Review: Tentigo (2023) by Illango Ram|first=Panos|last=Kotzathanasis|date=December 15, 2023|website=Asian Movie Pulse|access-date=January 19, 2025|archive-date=December 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222143550/https://asianmoviepulse.com/2023/12/film-review-tentigo-2023-by-illango-ram/|url-status=live}} Rebecca of Film Carnage rated teh film 8/10 stars and wrote, "Tentigo is a clever comedy, it captures a bizarre and satisfyingly ridiculous situation while never itself feeling over the top. It has a surprising and unusual balance to handle the topic of grief in a respectful manner, while being funny throughout". Nikhiil Akhiil of High On Films rated the film 4/5 stars and wrote, "With the aid of witty writing and a perfect ensemble, this film stands out as a new-wave dark comedy entry from Sri Lanka".{{cite web | url=https://www.highonfilms.com/tentigo-2023-poff-movie-review/ | title=Tentigo (2023) 'POFF' Movie Review: Accentuating the Skeletons in the Closet through Genuine Laughs | date=15 January 2024 | access-date=19 January 2025 | archive-date=28 May 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528145648/https://www.highonfilms.com/tentigo-2023-poff-movie-review/ | url-status=live }} Jhanvi Vipin of Strathclyde Telegraph rated the film 4/5 stars and wrote, "Ultimately, it’s a comedy-drama film that highlights that humour and sorrow can co-exist and that hidden secrets can unveil at the worst (or funniest!) of times".{{Cite web|url=https://strathclydetelegraph.com/2024/03/23/gff24-review-tentigo-%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85/|title=GFF24 Review: Tentigo ★★★★|first=Jhanvi|last=Vipin|date=March 23, 2024|website=Strathclyde Telegraph}}
Notes
{{noteslist}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}